1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a latch assembly as commonly placed on hinged doors, for releasably holding a strike element on a frame relative to which the door is hinged and, more particularly, to the structure for preventing migration of rain and other foreign matter through the latch assembly and into a door on which the latch assembly is mounted.
2. Background Art
Paddle-operated latch assemblies are well known in the prior art. An exemplary latch assembly is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,853 (the "'853 patent"), to Gleason et al., assigned to the assignee hereof. This type of latch assembly has application in numerous different environments, for example on motor homes, tool boxes, etc.
One problem that has plagued the art is that of avoiding migration of rain and other foreign matter from externally of the door, with which the latch assembly is associated, through the latch assembly and to the inside of the door. As can be seen in the '853 patent, an opening 55 is provided in the housing 30 to allow interconnection of the external paddle 28 to the internal operating mechanism. The opening 55 affords a passageway for foreign matter through the housing 20 to within a door on which the latch assembly is mounted. The paddle 28 provides some shielding to the opening 55, however, driving rain may still funnel upwardly into the opening 55.
One manufacturer of latch assemblies adheres a rubber sheet over the opening in the forwardly facing wall of a housing. The rubber sheet is cut out to accommodate the operating mechanism. However, a substantial opening is provided in the rubber sheet and thus foreign matter is free to migrate through the latch assembly.